Taken Pictures Without Asking And The Consequences

When I went through my Flickr stats yesterday, I noticed some hits from a Google search. It’s always interesting to see what people are searching for and what images they end up looking at, so I checked it out. It was a search for “little fish band” but the first picture in the result that was mine, didn’t come from my Flickr, it came from a “shout4music.com” (Blog post has now been removed by the looks of things).
The image in question was a very old shot of Little Fish, from 2008 before I started putting my logo on my pictures (and people ask why!), but the article had been written recently and it didn’t have any photo credit anywhere.
First thing I did was comment on the Blog post, something in the line of not being asked and credit were credit is due, but I don’t know if they ever even bother looking at comments, so I posted on Twitter too:

How to piss me off! @Shout4Music Thank you for using my picture without asking and without credit!

About an hour and a half later I get this email:

Tina

Please could you advise as to which image we have allegedly used that you say is yours? We would appreciate it if you could handle this issue without the aggression and childishness that you have publicly displayed on Twitter and also refrain from encouraging your friends and colleagues to do the same. We have many inturns working for us and the if the image had no signatures or logos on it, which I daresay it did not, then it is a possibility that an inturn may have used the image by mistake. We will gladly rectify this problem but you need to furnish us with details – perhaps this should have been your first course of action prior to using Twitter as your soundboard. I am sure you are a reputable and more importantly, professional photographer so it would be in all of our best interests to behave and resolve this issue you have highlighted in such a manner.

Thank you

Again, I posted on Twitter

Shame Tumbler is down, otherwise, I’d post the email I just got from @Shout4Music . Some words used: allegedly, childish… Who is wrong?

To which I got a second email:

Tina,

Again you seem to have used Twitter before actually replying to our email
concerning the issues you have with a photo that you have yet to identify.
We have no problem with removing said image however, this is impossible if
you do not advise us. Unfortunately due to your actions on Twitter we have
blocked you.

You seem to have placed more importance on criticising us on Twitter rather
than resolving this issue professionally via email.

May I ask you once more for details of the image in question please. And
again may I point out that if the images had a signature or logo on then
this could have been avoided quite easily.

Ash Meikle

I didn’t even bother reading either of those email all the way through, but seeing as I have a little bit of time to waste right now, I though I reply.

Regarding the first email:

Please could you advise as to which image we have allegedly used that you say is yours?

Allegedly?! I’m sorry, what the hell?! Do you think I don’t know my own pictures?! I was there when I took it, you know! 

We would appreciate it if you could handle this issue without the aggression and childishness that you have publicly displayed on Twitter and also refrain from encouraging your friends and colleagues to do the same.

Don’t call me childish, thieve! Neither was I aggressive! Aggressive would have been, if I came around your house and slapped you around the head, explaining copyright to you!

I don’t need to encourage anyone to get involved. If you steal a photograph, every photographer in the world will have something to say about that. Actually, you got of lightly!

We have many inturns working for us and the if the image had no signatures or logos on it, which I daresay it did not, then it is a possibility that an inturn may have used the image by mistake.

First of all, educate your interns (which is the correct spelling btw!)! Secondly, how can someone take something by mistake?! You mean like… I don’t know, driving off after filling up your car with petrol, without paying? Or walking straight through the till at the supermarket without paying?

My Flickr clearly states:

Owner settings 

• All Rights Reserved 

And the reason you used a 2 1/2 year old image is because it didn’t have a logo on it!

You ask! ALWAYS! It’s not that hard!

I am sure you are a reputable and more importantly, professional photographer so it would be in all of our best interests to behave and resolve this issue you have highlighted in such a manner.

If you would have thought of me as a professional photographer, you would have never stole from me in the first place!  

Second email:

Unfortunately due to your actions on Twitter we have blocked you.

I’m crying! Seriously, I’m heartbroken! I never heard of you before this, so I’m sure I can continue with my life just fine without you in it in the future!

Conclusion? Just ask! It isn’t hard, really. And a little bit of politeness and manners go a very long way!

Funny thing is, I do a lot of work for free/favours. I am possible one of the nicest and most willing person to do someone a favour you will ever meet! Unless you piss me off that is!